Spool



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. J. LENOX SPOOL- FIG. I'

Oct. 10, 1950 Filed May 8, 1946 INVENTOR. FRANK J. LENOX W W (M IHIS AT'TORNEY FIG. 2'

F. J. LENOX Oct. 10, 1950 SPOOL v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 194a FIG.4

INVENTOR. FRANK .1. LENOX v- I- M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 'sPooL Frank J. Lenox, Weehawken, N. .l. Application May 8, 1946, Serial No. 668,159

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in spools, reels and the like, and particularly to clamping means used for holding a traverse to spool heads.

A spool is usually made up of two heads and a barrel or traverse which lies between the heads. The problem has existed in spool manufacturin of devisin suitable means for holding the heads to the traverse. To a great extent, metal clamping devices have taken the place of the wooden plugs and glue once used. However, there have been drawbacks to metal clamping means; the outstanding one being perhaps the danger of tearing or splitting the cardboard, usually used in constructing the heads and traverse, when it contacts the metal of 2, clamp. Heretofore, the clamps have been too rigid in relation to the heads and traverse and, thus, it was difficult to attach one to the other, especially where one was forced over the other. 7

The object of my invention is a clamping means which overcomes the above and other disadvantages by being shaped so as to hold a spool securely together, yet exert a minimum strain on the spool parts.

With this object in view, I provide a cylindrically or otherwise shaped clamping means which has one end engaging the head of the spool and the other end engaging the traverse by means of upturned flanges projecting from the clamp. The flanges project from the end of the clamp at a plurality of points rather than in one continuous flange around it. The contour of the flanges is formed depending on the contour of the traverse.

The contour of the end of the clamp taken around the flanges is different from that of a transverse cross section of the traverse. If the traverse is a cylinder, then there are straight unfianged portions in the contour around the .end. If the traverse is rectangularly shaped, then there are circular flanged portions around the end. The

flanges are placed so that they are brought into contact with the traverse and hold it securely, even though there is not one continuous projection from the clamp in contact with the traverse. In order more fully to disclose the nature of my invention, I shall now describe in detail a preferred embodiment and a modification. thereof with reference to-the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section of a spool having clamping means of the annular disc type;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an annular disc type clamp;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a Vertical cross section of a spool having clamping means of the same diameter as the traverse and perforations in the heads Fig. 5 is a plan view of a clamp shown in Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 68 of Fig. 5.

In my preferred embodiment, i is a cylindrically shaped clamp-ing means, preferably formed from sheet metal, and made up of a small sleeve 2 and a larger sleeve 3. A perforation 4 in the sleeve 2 has the same diameter as a perforation in a disc or otherwise shaped spool head 5. The perforation in the spool head is preferably a central one.

Free end 6 of the small sleeve 2 is put through the perforation in the head. End 6 is turned down into a bead which engages the area of head lying around its perforation, and holds the clampl to head 5. Annular disc-shaped portion 1 lies fiat against the inner surface of head 5 and formsa metal back which supports and strengthens head 5. Portion l is at right angles to the longitudinal axis running through perforation 4 of sleeve 2.

Upturned beads or flanges 8 are next formed, or' they may have been previously formed, in the free endof sleeve 3 so as to project from it in two semi-circular sections. As best shown in Fig. 2, flanges 8 do not completely encircle the bottom edge of sleeve 3. Portions 9 of flanges 8 have been cut or broken away so that the contour aroundthe bottom edge of sleeve 3 is circular at some points and at others, where 3 has been cut away as shown in Fig. 3, straight. Flanges 8 need not be broken away on opposing sides of sleeve 3 as shown in Fig. 2, but may be broken at a plurality .of points around the bottom edge of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 5. For instance, in Fig. 2 flanges 8 could be broken away at other points around'the bottom edge of sleeve 3 besides 9.. All that is required isthat the contour of the free end of sleeve 3 taken around flanges 8 be difierent from that of a transverse section of traverse tube l0.

As shown in Fig. 1, traverse I0 is a hollow cylinden known as the barrel or traverse, made preferably from cardboard. It must be remembered in this connection that, though cardboard is recommended as the material to be used in making the heads and traverse of a spool, it isnot obligatory since certain plastics and other materials could also be used. The traversedil need not necessarily be a cylinder but may be of pentagonal, or hexagonal, or octagonal, etc.

shape. Depending on the shape of traverse l0,

flanges 8 of clamp I will be broken away so that they will intersect the inner surface of traverse II] at a plurality of points. The diameter of sleeve 3 measured at flanges 8 is slightly larger than the inside diameter of traverse I 0.

After clamp I has been attached to head 5 by ibeadB, one end of traverse I 0 is placed over :flanges 8 and pushed until it comes in contact with the bottom surface of head 5. When trav- =erse I 0 is forced over clamp I, only flanges 8 contact it and provide a minimum of resistance to the traverse I0, yet flanges 8 press or bite sufflciently hard against the inner surface of traverse Ill to hold it securely and lock it against the head and prevent any relative motion between head and traverse. And this is so even though there is a, space left between the sides of sleeve 3 and the inside of traverse I0. As shown in Fig. 1 the space is somewhat exaggerated and actually the traverse and flange would give sufliciently to bring the two parts closer together.

Flanges 8 should be rounded into sleeve 3, as shown at II. If flanges 8 leave sharp edges at the points where they join sleeve 3, these edges will tear the traverse as it is forced over the flanges and into contact with the head 5. There- 'fore, it is important that flanges 8 be turned up at acute angles to the bottom of sleeve 3, and portions II must be flared so as not to impede the passage of traverse I0, but rather help it on its way once over the flanges. In this connection it has been found that by making the diameter of sleeve 3, measured to the sides of the sleeve at 4 having approximately the same diameter as the traverse is pushed through clamp I3 and forces flanges I2 into the inside surface of I4.

While I have described only the attachment of one clamp to one head and one end of the traverse, it is to be remembered that in order to complete a spool the other end of the traverse is attached to a second clamp and spool in the same manner.

Clamps having flanges forming a contour as shown in Figs. 2 and 5 are much more resilient than clamps completely encircled by one continuous flange. The added resiliency permits easier passage of the traverse over the clamp and thereby materially lessens the danger of cracking, splitting or tearing the traverse which is placed under considerable strain.

To one skilled in the art many other ways of breaking or cutting away the flanges and formthe end engaging traverse I0, slightly smaller thousandths of an inch greater than the inside.

diameter of the traverse. If the sleeves diameter was thirty thousandths or fifteen thousandths greater, the head could not be as satisfactorily attached to the traverse.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I show a modification of an embodiment in which flanges I2 of clamp I3 may be cut away similarly to flanges 8 of clamp I.

whichis short relative to traverse I4. The diameter of the'perforation in spool head I5 is such that clamp i3 fits within it. However, the diameter of clamp I3 is smaller than that of the traverse, except at the turned flanges I2 which will penetrate the inside surface of the traverse.

A flange I8 of clamp I3 holds the head I5 against the edge of the traverse I 4.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the contour of the flange formed in the bottom of clamp I3, has restricted portions I6 where the inside surface of the traverse is not engaged as it is at projections I2. The deepest points of contact between flangeprojections I2 and traverse I4 are points such as I7.

Flange projections I2 may be flared up from the sides of clamp I3 at an acute angle like flanges 8, Fig. 1, or they may project at right angles from the sides of the clamp. In the latter case, after I4 is in position and against head I5, a plunger As an example of the 'Clamp I3 is preferably a hollow metal cylinder ing the clamps, traverse and heads will present themselves. Therefore, I do not limit myself to the precise details shown anddescribed herein but claim as my invention 'all embodiments,

variations and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a spool, a cylindrical traverse, a perforated head, a metal clamp for holding the head to the traverse comprising two sleeves of different diameters connected at their'ends .by an annular disc-shaped portion of the clamp extending at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve, a bead around the perforation in the head formed in the free end of the smaller sleeve, and a plurality of curved flanges formed in the free end of the larger sleeve so that the latter has a slightly larger diameter than the inside diameter of the traverse.

2. In a spool, a hollow traverse, a centrally perforated head, a clamping means for holding the head to the traverse, said clamp comprising .two sleeves of different diameters connected by an annular disc-shaped portion of the clamp ex- 1 straight unflangedportions in said free end of the larger sleeve joining the curved flanges to one another, said straight portions being free from the inside surfaceof the traverse when the clamp is in position. 7

a FRANK J. LENOX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent? UNITED STATES PATENTS Number H Name Date 668,974 I Buedingen Feb. 26, 1901 1,542,611 Clark June 16, 1925 1,829,643 .Forney Oct. 27, 1931 1,889,273 I Dunlap Nov. 29, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country' Date Great Britain Oct. 6, 1927 

